DIGGERLAND is a major hit with our kids and its location is ideal if you want to stop off on your way down or home.

We have been there twice now, using it to break up the return journey, and it’s always gone down well.

While you might think it’s just for the kids, I can assure that’s far from the case.

Give yourself a few minutes and the inner-builder will come out in you and you’ll find yourself queuing excitedly along with your little ones.

Located just at Cullompton, near Exeter, it is easily accessible from the M5.

What it might lack for in sophistication, Diggerland more than makes up for in the friendliness and enthusiasm of its staff and the hands-on nature of its attractions.

You can view the entire park in one go, meaning your kids - if deemed old enough and mature enough - can be allowed to wander around while you keep an eye on smaller ones.

As you might expect, all the rides have a construction theme. There are more than 20 to choose from, including the Sky Shuttle, where you are lifted 50ft in the air, Spindizzy, where you sit in the bucket of a huge excavator and are spun around, the Ground Shuttle, which takes you on a stomach-churning ride and the Dig-A-Round carousel.

However, by far and away the biggest draw are the machines you get to drive yourself. The smiles never left my kids' faces as they rumbled around the specially designed courses in little JCB Skid Steer Loaders and dumper trucks. In addition to that you can dig huge holes, find buried treasure and stack huge tyres with equipment normally only seen on a building site.

  • For more details on Diggerland, including prices and its other UK venues, visit www.diggerland.com